Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year's Eve

I'm having a little trouble getting my breath (chemical pneumonitis from breathing cleaning solutions), and Dr. Gollum told me to take it easy tomorrow. I've been given inhalers, steroids, and Singulair, so my dear husband has half cured me already. Meanwhile, I'm leaving you with some dishes I cooked when I COULD breathe.

Anyway, the tip-top picture was part of the Christmas Day "tea." We made blinis, added salmon, and put the "extras in martini glasses: sour cream, dill, green onions, capers.

I don't know if I've ever told you about my secret diet weapon--Walden Farms dressings. Zero calories, zero carbs, zero fat. Lots of taste. I am not their spokesperson, but Mister says he'll take the job. I love the bacon dressing, but I also like the honey mustard.

This is a savory pie (onion, garlic, mushrooms, and spinach in puff pastry). I discovered the recipe on Once In A Blue Moon. I used the frozen puff pastry sheets and just ran a rolling pin over them, with a bit of flour. I have ordered a lattice pie cutting tool to make a gorgeous top layer. Everyone agreed that this was the hit of the holiday season. Thanks, Once in a Blue Moon!

And here are the chocolate mice. Let me just say, they were a challenge, and not the SNAP I thought they'd be. Huh.My Christmas mice were plentiful; but they all had unibrows. So I used Red Hots for their eyes,and now they look like the mice from a Steve King novel. Next time I need to find my pastry bags.

This was a tomato basil sauce that got out of hand. It was supposed to have a cream sauce, but Young Bandwith Gollum brought home Cool Whip rather than heavy whipping cream. I tried to repair it as best I could. Dr. G and Young G told me that it was hearty and good. Which just goes to show that a good recipe is hard to destroy.

59 comments:

Dear Gollum..my wish for the New year is that you get plenty of rest and get better..where would RMS or blogland be without your insight...Thank God you have a Doctor in the house..Please take care and know you are in my prayers..Hope you have a safe and blessed year to come..hugs and smiles Gloria ps we have allot of antiquting and dishes yet to buy...

Everything looks scrumptious. Sorry to hear your not feeling well, that's no way to end the year, hope it passes soon. Again I'd like to thank you for all the time and effort you put in to your blog and sharing so much with us, it is truly appreciated.

Wishing you and your family, even the four legged ones, a VERY HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR.

Feel better gg ! I use that same stuffing for chicken breast, I saute the onion, garlic,spanich and mushrooms, then add ricotta and parmesan cheese. Flatten out the chicken breast , stuff and fry. I then remove the chicken make a gravy return the chicken and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Yummy ! If your family like this combination you should try it. Looks fancy, but is very easy.vickydarnell

So sorry to hear you are ailing. It just goes to show that cleaning IS hazardous to your health. Let that be a lesson to us all.It would seem that the steroids have had a converse effect on your funny bone because I am ROFL about the mice.Love Young G's new middle name and the Cool Whip is priceless. : )Take care and Happy New Year!

Oh dear, Gollum...I'm so sorry that you don't feel well! Take good care of yourself! It sounds like Dr G has the situtation under control. I loved the yummy dishes in your post. I laughed out loud at your Steven King mice comment, though! Please give Mister a message for me. Please tell him that he is a great spokesperson for the Publix gingerbread dogs. While I was there yesterday, one of them jumped into my cart for my grandson. It will be a New Year's eve surprise! Mister should expect his dog biscuit compensation from Publix any day now. Have a Happy New Year and feel better...Debbie

Hi Gollum...sorry to hear you're under the weather but you are in good hands with Dr. G I'm sure. You gave me a good laugh about your Stephen King novel mice...LOLWishing you a happy new year & many happy hours of blogging in 2009! ;-) Bo

All of your dishes look yummy! Thanks for the tip about Walden Farms dressing...I have not heard of that type of dressing...I will have to try it...because from now on all I will be able to eat is salads due to an over exposure to cookies and treats this holiday season. PLEASE take care of yourself...(I have asthma and take singulair on a daily basis, so I am familiar with the trouble you are having)....Hope you are feeling better soon. ~Cindy~

This looks delicious! I am headed right behind you with the diet. I have really gained the weight this past year and it got worse at christmas. Anything with tomatoes and sauce is right up Mr. blossom's alley. Thank you for sharing. Nice temp at the farm today. What are you doing with all the chemicals you are breathing? Cleaning the farm?blossom

Just banish those cleaning solvents to the dungeon forever. Aren't you lucky to have your own in-house physician! I had one of those for twenty-two years and I am blessed to have him as my best friend today (father of four grandfather of two helps!) Happy New Year Gollum!

I can already breathe--Dr. G cured another one! And I'm off to Publix for black eyed peas.

A couple of years ago, I had a sort of asthma attack. I was cleaning with Clorox and it turned out that I'd developed a chemical allergy to that product.

So, no more Clorox, only natural cleaners. Well, normally I try to keep the house well ventilated while I'm cleaning; but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to avoid chemicals! They're everywhere.

During the holidays (long, twisted story), I breathed in too much vinegar and baking soda--and boom, I couldn't get a deep breath. After that, just anything, even Tabasco (from Tabasco pecans) left me breathless, and it reached an unbearable point, even with my inhaler. I had to consult the Big Guy: Dr. Gollum.

So, Dr. G. says I am officially allergic to all cleaning products, and therefore, Young Bandwith, who has a degree in biochemistry, will assume those duties. I can stick to vacuuming and dusting. LOL

Thanks for all of your well wishes. You all are the bestest friends ever.

Take care of yourself...it sounds like rest is a very good thing for you right now! Although I find it hard to imagine you ever slowing down! Have a safe, happy, healthy New Year. I hope 2009 is a joyous year for you and yours!

I'm so sorry you're not feeling well, but I guess it is nice to have a doctor in the family. I hope you are completely cured before 2009 comes in!What delicious looking delectables! I do not know where you find the time to do all that you do! laurie

The Waldon Farm dressings are a definite staple in my frig. Have you tried their chocolate sauce? It sits alongside my dressings another must have.

I've got similiar version of the lil' mice. The recipe I have adds shortbread the small triangle shapes,it looks like a wedge of cheese for your mouse to sit on. I think the red eyes would be a cute take on a New years (indulged)Champagne mouse.I hope your feeling better soon. I've had a terrible reaction to those bleach cleaning products.

Hope you're feeling better very soon, Gollum. I had a bout of inner ear infection/vertigo, Monday. So this week, I've rested and J has worked on the foyer project. Rest does wonders and in my case a little Benadryl didn't hurt either.

Ha! When I was first married (19 yrs ago) I too brought home Cool Whip for a cream sauce not knowing whipping cream was by the milk! (neither did the woman I asked to help me!) My husband choked that dish down too. What newlyweds do for each other....lolHappy New Year!

I usually just lurk on your blog and drool over your yummy goodies and beautiful home, but I wanted to chime in with you about the Walden Farms products. I've lost over 40 pounds this last year on a limited-carb diet, and I use their pancake syrup on almond flour waffles for a decadent-tasting meal. My DH is the house chef genius, and I have to give him large portion of the credit for my success in getting back into my size 4 petite clothes! Also, I made the chocolate mice a couple of years ago, and just used little dots of black Cake Mates writing icing for the eyes. It was easy and delicious, but almost too cute to eat.

I'm so glad that you're on the mend, and wish you and the G family a very Happy New Year.Warm wishes, Barbara/Faeryhollow

I see by your earlier comment that you are feeling much better. Good! I am allergic to most cleaning products, too. Now I have someone to clean our home, but I can tell when I get home if she has used something that I'm allergic to.

Hi Sweet Gollum, I'm so glad to read you're feeling better. yep young Bandwith can certainly take over those details..lol New Years Resolution..going to read alot more books this year. Starting with Mad Girls in Love...I'm wishing you and yours a veryHappy New Year..hugs ~lynne~

Wow, I wish I could be a guest at your home! It all looks so good...actually just sitting in your home without food would even be a treat!

I had a friend that wanted to impress a date by cooking for him. She decided to make another friend's pasta with prawns recipe. It called for heavy whipping cream and she put in cool whip! She knew it tasted different but didn't have a clue of what she did wrong! I never laughed so hard!!!

Happy New Year to you and Dr. Gollum! I hope you feel better! My daughter has strep throat and I'm hoping I don't get it!

Stay well Sweet Gollum! Get lots of rest and stay away from all cleaning products. Almost makes the pilfering cleaning lady look good doesn't it? I'll bet young G can do a wonderful job for you. let's give it a whirl!Just spent the last three days with my chef nephew and I'm in desperate need of the Walden Farms products. I'm afraid all the hard work I've done getting off some weight in the last few months has been all for naught! That darned Culinary Institute!Happy 2009 to you and your family. hugs~ Carol

I'm visiting from the beach & think I just lost my comment (on "borrowed wi-fi"), so...the mice tickled me w/ their big red eyes...perhaps too much alcohol? I have chemical allergies too, so I've learned not to paint, be careful burning scented candles, & to hire a cleaning lady (the blessing of it all!) Hope you're feeling better soon! That pastry is making me hungry, so I'm going to have to move along! P.S. I saw on your sidebar what you're reading. If you have a chance & haven't seen it, take a look in the Southern Lady's special Christmas issue (not their Nov/Dec issue but one just on Christmas) for some awesome tablescapes!

Get well fast, Gollum. The tomatoes in the skillet look gorgeous. I overbought tomatoes before Christmas. Then we were snowed in for 11 days and I ran out of lettuce for salads. I found a recipe in the South Beach Diet book for "Baked Tomatoes with Basil and Parmesan" that made a nice accompaniment to our snowbound menus 5 nights in a row. I often use South Beach Diet recipes when we have guests--tasty, nutritious and lo-cal. Have a happy 2009! Fieldstone/Pam

GM Gollum...hope you are feeling better today..I am going to cook a Prime Rib dinner..which is one of my favorite thing besides scampi..you take care..I have been praying for you girl!! hugs and smiles Gloria

Happy New Year DG! I am happy to hear you are feeling much better and can officially pass the nasty cleaning duties to young G. Thank you so much for your wonderful blog in 2008. It has been a highlight for me this past year, your insight, wit and all the adventure, now rest up and enjoy life! Hugs, Jan

Wow, cleaning is WAY overrated I would say....do feel better soon. I have to agree that a cleaning lady might be a good deal for you and your health!Your food looks so tasty, and the mice --haha about their red eyes. Happy New Year!

Hi G, so sorry you are under the weather that is no fun at all.the food looked great!I made the little mice and i used the small tubes of icing from the store and put dots of white then dots of red and a little red dot on the nose.they turned out really cute and it was really easy with the pre tubed icing.One tiny tube each does the trick.I hid them under the cookies in the cookie tray and the grandbabies loved them but the adults liked them even more.I hope you feel better soon.Kathysue

Oh dear, I am so sorry you were not feeling well but obviously Dr. G. is a GOOOOOD DR. as he has cured you already!!! Now, as Linda suggested, I agree that a cleaning lady is JUST what the Dr. ordered....or SHOULD:):):) I would also like to thank you for EVERY single blog this past year, you are inspiring, funny, talented, beautiful, gracious....oh I could go on and on. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE GOLLUMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pinky

I have never heard of chemical pneumonitis from breathing cleaning solutions but I'm pretty sure my one daughter has problems with this. She gets very upset every time I clean the bathroom and even more upset when I make her do it. She finds the bleach smell just too much to handle. I thought she was just trying to get out of helping but......I will try to be more understanding next time :)